Wire saws



y 1961 H. E. WAYLAND 2,986,136

WIRE SAWS Filed Jan. 14, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ///5E/?7" 5warm/v0,

ATTORNEY y 1961 H. E. WAYLAND 2,986,136

WIRE SAWS Filed Jan. 14, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 BY imak;

ATTORNEYS rectilinear movement of the wires.

United States Patent WIRE SAWS Hubert E. Wayland, Knoxville, Tenn.,assignor to Ty-Sa- Man Machine Company, Knoxville, Tenn., a corporationof Tennessee Filed Jan. 14, 1958, Ser. No. 708,787

11 Claims. (Cl. 125-21) This invention relates to improvements in wiresaws of the character used for cutting stone and other materials.

Wire saws used for this purpose are built with one or more wiresoperating over wheels arranged in spaced relation, for movement of thewires into bearing relation with a stone mounted between the wheels forcreating an abrasive action on the stone due to the rectilinear movementof the wire with respect thereto, thereby sawing a kerf or groove in thestone. By means -of a plurality of wires operating in parallel relationover wheels mounted side by 'side, it is possible to cut simultaneouslya plurality 'of .kerfs in a single block of stone. Inasmuch as the sizeof the cut pieces should be varied, according to requirements andaccording to the size of the block of stone, the wheels should beadjustable to vary the spacing between the wires.

These wires must be operated at relatively high speeds, and due to thefriction with the block of .stone, a considerableamount of power isneeded to apply the required This has resulted heretofore in a tendencyof centrifugal stretch being applied to the rim of the wheel, whichprevents the wires from being-maintained in truecutting positions, andoften has caused excessively large ker-fs, whipping action resulting indanger of breakage to the wires before entering the cuts, and otherobjections in practice.

One object of this invention is-to overcome these ob- ,jectionsencountered heretofore and to improve thecon- -struction of wire saws ofthis type.

Another' object of the invention is to improve theconstruction of thewire rsaw wheels so as to overcome any tendency of centrifugal stretchthat :might develop, and results in-a much smoother running wheel atproduction speeds.

Still another object of the invention is to provide formaintainingsubstantially perfect alignment by radial and side adjustmentof the spokes and rim, which will cause the wheels to run true, withoutwobbling ordangerous whipping of the wires before entering the cuts.

A still .further object of the invention is to provide'a wide range ofadjustment of the wheels with respect to each other and with .oflsetrims and hubs, permitting multiple cuts in :close proximity to eachother, without disturbing the .trueness of the wheel and :the smoothnessof operation.

These objects are accomplished, according to one embodinient of theinvention, by ,providing a plurality of wheels arranged in side-by-siderelation, adapted to be mounted on a supporting shaft, and with each ofthe wheels including a hub and a rim connected together .by

radial spokes. It 'is preferred-that at least someof the wheels have therims thereof'offset from the hubs, so as to permit the wires to bebrought into very closerelation toeach other, thus providing formultiple cuts and resulting thin slabs.

The basic form of the wheel is such that at high speeds the rimis undertension, while the spokes are .under compression. overcomes any tendencyof centrifugal "ice stretch that might develop and results in a muchsmoother running Wheel at production speeds.

The spokes are connected with the rib through adjustable and lost motionconnections which permit the maintaining of perfect alignment by radialand side adjustments to very narrow margins, whereby the wheel will runtrue and will not wobble and cause the wire to whip before entering thecut.

The rim preferably has a machined groove in the periphery thereof, witha rubber or non-metallic liner seated in the groove for reducingslippage, with longer wire life.

This embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, somewhat digrammatic, of ,a wire saw towhich the invention may be applied;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of an adjustable wheel embodying thisinvention;

Fig. 3 is a cross section therethrough;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevation of one of the spokes and connectionbetween the latter and the rim;

Fig. 5 is a section therethrough, on the line 5--5 in Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a cross section therethrough on the line 6-6 in Fig. 4.

The invention may be applied to any suitable or desirable form of wiresaw machine, one form of which is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 1,wherein a supporting framework is illustrated generally by the numeral 1and has a pair -of wheels 2 mounted .on the framework at op- .positeends thereof, with one or more wires 3 stretched between the wheels 2and operated by "the latter. The

power means is not illustrated, but suitable provision is usually madefor operating one of the wheels to provide appropriate feeding actionfor the rectilinear movement of the wires.

A block of stone is indicated at S, supported upon a car 4 or othersuitable support locatedbetween the spaced wheels 2, in positionforactionof the wires on the block of stone to provide the desiredcutting action. A suitable abrasive is usually supplied to facilitatethe cutting operation from a cyclone separator .or other source ofsupply, indicated generally .at 5.

Each wheel assembly 2 may comprise one :or more wheels mounted upon asupporting shaft 6, either in driving relation therewith or journaledrelative thereto, as

illustrated in Fig. 3. The supporting shaft .6 is mounted ton-the frame1 and .may be connected with a source of ported on asleeve 13 telescopedover the shaft 6 and adjustable axially relative thereto, being lockedsecurely in place vonthe shaft by a .set screw 14. Thus, with the innerwheel 7 anchored securely tothe shaft 6, the adjacent wheels .8 and -9can be adjustedaxially relative theretoto varythe spacingbetweentherespective wires 3.

"Extending radially outward from each of the hubs 10 and .11 are spokes.15 which are secured rigidly at their innerends to .thecorrespondinghub as by ribs 16 spaced circumferentially around each hub, with eachofthe ribs 16 preferably interposed between a pair of spokes and securelyanchored thereto by welding, riveting orother types of fastenings.

Each wheel isprovided with a surroundingrim, .gen-

erally indicated at 17, and connected with the radiating spokes 15 atthe outer ends of the latter. The form of connection is shown more indetail in Figs. 4 to 6. Each pair of spokes 15 is welded or otherwisesecured at their outer ends to a plate 18 extending transversely of thepair of spokm 15 and substantially parallel with the circumferentiallength of the rim 17. The plate 18 is connected through studs 19 withthe rim 17 The studs 19 extend radially inward from the inner surface ofthe rim 17 parallel with each other. Holes 20 are formed in opposite endportions of the plate 18 through which the studs 19 project. Thediameter of the holes is preferably appreciably larger than the diameterof the studs 19, so as to permit of circumferential ad justrnent of therim, as well as lateral adjustment thereof with respect to the spokes15. An example of the relative dimensions between these parts that maybe mentioned is a hole diameter of while the studs are A in diameter.These dimensions are somewhat exaggerated in Fig, 5 for clearness ofillustration, but the holes should be sufficiently larger than thediameter of the studs so as to permit of proper and adequate adjustmentto the extent needed.

A radial adjustment may be provided also by adjustably mounting theplate 18 on the studs 19 by means of ,lock nuts 21 and 22 on each studbearing upon the outer and inner faces of the plate 18.

Through this type of adjustable connection between the spokes 15 and therim 17, as provided by the relative sizes of the studs 19 and the holes20, and also by the adjusting and lock nuts 21 and 22 arranged in pairsat the juncture of each pair of spokes with the rim, these permit themaintenance of perfect alignment of the wheel. Both radial and sideadjustments are possible to less than ,6 run-out. This will assure thatthe wheels will run true on the shafts and will not wobble and causewhipping of the wires before entering the cuts.

The rims 17 of the wheels 7 and 8 are offset with respect to the hubsand 11, which enables the wires to be brought as close together as 1%",thereby producing cut blocks of very small dimensions.

Each of the rims 17 has a peripheral groove 23 formed therein to receivethe wire 3. The groove is preferably machined and is oversize, with aliner 24 fitted in the groove 23, preferably formed of rubber or othersuitable lining material that will reduce slippage and prolong the lifeof the wire. The liner 24 is confined at its opposite edges by shoulders25 formed by overhanging lips at the lateral edges of the groove 23 soas to maintain the liner securely in place.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in oneembodiment, it is recognized that variations and changes may be madetherein without departing from the invention.

I claim:

1. In a wire saw having a pair of wheel assemblies spaced apart with awire extending over the wheelassemblies in position for sawing action onmaterial mounted therebetween, one of the wheel assemblies comprising aplurality of wheels arranged in side-by-side relation, at least some ofthe wheels having hubs and rims axially olfset from each other andspokes interconnecting the hubs and rims, the spokes of adjacent wheelsextending outwardly from the hubs to the rims in converging relationdisposing the rims close together.

2. In a wire saw having a pair of wheel assemblies with a plurality ofwires extending over the wheel assemblies in bridging relationtherebetween in position for sawing engagement with a block of materialmounted between the wheel assemblies, each wheel assembly comprising aplurality of wheels in side-by-side relation, each wheel having a huband rim with spokes interconnecting the hub and rim, the rim of at leastone wheel being offset axially relative to the hub .thereof and arrangedin close proximity to the rim of an adjacent wheel, the spokes ofadjacent wheels extending outwardly from the hubs to the rims inconverging relation.

3. In a wire saw having wheels spaced apart with a wire extending overthe wheels in bridging relation therebetween in position for sawingaction on a block of material mounted between the wheels, one of thewheels comprising a hub portion and surrounding rim, and means formingan adjustment of the rim relative to the hub portion radially andaxially of the wheel.

4. In a wire saw having wheels spaced apart with a wire extending overthe wheels in bridging relation therebetween in position for sawingaction on a block of material mounted between the wheels, one of thewheels comprising a hub portion and a surrounding rim, and means forminga radial and axially adjustable connection between the hub portion andrim for bodily adjustment of the rim relative to the hub portion.

5. In a wire saw having wheels spaced apart with a wire extending overthe wheels in bridging relation therebetween in position for sawingaction on a block of material mounted between the wheels, one of saidwheels comprising a hub portion having radially extending spokesconnected therewith, a rim surrounding the hub portion, and meansforming an adjustable connection between the rim and the spokes forradial and axial adjustment of the rim relative thereto.

6. In a wire saw having Wheels spaced apart with a wire extending overthe wheels in bridging relation therebetween in position for sawingaction on a block of material mounted between the wheels, one of thewheels comprising a hub portion having radially extending spokesconnected therewith, plates connected with the outer ends of the spokes,a rim surrounding the hub portion and the plates, each of the plateshaving a pair of openings therein, a pair of studs fixed to the rimadjacent each plate and extending through the openings, and adjustmentnuts on the studs for adjusting the rim axially relative to the spokes.

7. In a wire saw having wheels spaced apart with a wire extending overthe wheels in bridging relation therebetween in position for sawingaction on a block of material mounted between the wheels, one of thewheels comprising a hub portion having radially extending spokesconnected therewith, plates connected with the outer ends of the spokes,a rim surrounding the hub portion and the plates, each of the plateshaving a pair of openings therein, a pair of studs fixed to the rimadjacent each plate and extending through the openings, and adjustmentnuts on the studs for adjusting the rim axially relative to the spokes,the openings having ap preciably' larger diameters than the studs foraxial adjustment of the rim relative to the spokes.

8. A wheel assembly for a wire saw, comprising a plurality of wheelsmounted on a shaft in side by side relation, said wheels havingrelatively wide hubs and narrow rims, means interconnecting said hubsand rims, the interconnecting means of at least one of said wheelsdisposing the rim of said one wheel axially offset from the hub of saidone wheel and adjacent the rim of the adjacent wheel and in a planespaced from the adjacent end of said hub, whereby a thin slab ofmaterial may be cut.

9. In a wire saw, a wheel comprising a hub portion having radiallyextending spokes connected therewith, plates rigidly connected with theouter ends of the spokes, a rim surrounding the hub portion and theplates, each of the plates having a pair of openings therein, a pair ofstuds fixed to the rim adjacent each plate and extending through theopenings, and adjustment nuts on the studs for adjusting the rim axiallyrelative to the spokes.

10. In a wire saw, a wheel comprising a hub portion having radiallyextending spokes connected therewith, plates fixed to the outer ends ofthe spokes, a .rim surrounding the hub portion and the plates separatethere from, and means connecting the rim with the plates for bodilyadjustment of the rim axially and laterally relative to the spokes.

11. In a wire saw, a wheel comprising a hub portion having radiallyextending spokes connected therewith, plates fixed to the outer ends ofthe spokes, a rim surrounding the hub portion and the plates separatetherefrom, and studs connecting the rim with the plates for bodilyadjustment of the rim laterally relative to the spokes.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS528,357 Berger Oct. 30, 1894 6 Mann May 2, 1905 Pfeifer Nov. 28, 1911Karr Jan. 30, 1912 Moore Oct. 13, 1914 Olson Aug. 19, 1924 De Wein Feb.17, 1931 Picard Jan, 16, 1940 Tann Oct. 16, 1951 Williams Mar. 24, 1953Garrison June 11, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany July 21, 1899 GreatBritain Nov. 7, 1956

